> I carry the Spark Lite kit, have used it many times, and it works just fine. The SparkLite
> "sparker" plus some of the SparkLite tinder balls is light, compact, effective, and cheap.
> Why bother with other stuff?

For that matter, why not stick with a cigarette lighter? It works one-handed, can be recognised and used without prior training, and will light paper, hex tab or other tinder directly. You can even use it to light a friend's cigarette without feeling like a survivalist nerd. Get one with a flint rather than peizo-electic ignition, so you still have a chance of lighting good tinder when the fuel runs out. (Running out of fuel is like running out of cotton balls.)

That said, I love the SparkLite tinder, and bought two big bags of it. I like the SparkLite, too, but it's something I keep in kits rather than carry every day. That's partly a matter of packaging, really. I EDC a ferro rod because mine has a nice keyring hole. I also EDC a lighter, most days.

I really wish someone would produce a proper survival lighter. Something like a SparkLite with a butane store, that produced good external sparks as well as an adjustable flame. Replacable flint. Lightweight, small enough to fit in an Altoids tin. Waterproof and tough enough to go on a keyring or neck chain. It should look good enough to use in social situations. Maybe space for emergency tinder, maybe not.

Maybe when Doug has finished working on his knives and Photons he could give it a try?